Chamber and committees

Thank you for setting that out succinctly. That was helpful.

At the end of the day, this comes down to priorities. In some ways, of course, it is a question of money, but there is money there. The issue is how we spend it. People have said today that it is important that we provide residential outdoor education opportunities, but is it very important that we do that? Is it more important than the other things that we are doing?

Tara Lillis, do you want to kick off on that? Where does the provision of outdoor education opportunities fit in your priorities?

A lot of this comes down to money, but it is money and priorities. You have heard that there is a lot going on in Scottish education, including real challenges—you will have seen that first hand yourself. You receive some money from foundations and charities and so on. I am intrigued in whether you think that the bill might open up further opportunities to release money from those charities. By the fact that it is law, would that trigger more investment from elsewhere, or will all of this have to come from the state?

Matthew, do you have anything to add?

The financial memorandum has come up a few times. What is your view of the financial memorandum, Matthew, as someone who has looked at the detail of it? Is it accurate?

Andrew, do you have a view? Where does it fit in your priorities?

Sorry, can I interrupt you? The issue is not about the value of residential outdoor education; it is about the priority of it. Where does it fit in your priorities?

On the scope of provision, should it be for five to 17-year-olds? How much would you have to increase your capacity by in order to meet the numbers in that group? Have you done the sums on how much you would need?

That is a whole other debate.

Peter Bain, you have been very straightforward. This is an opportunity; you will not get many opportunities to tell the cabinet secretary directly what you think about the pace of progress. You are frustrated. What does the cabinet secretary need to do in December? What are the next steps to bring her more in line with your report?

She is not with you, is she? From your demeanour, you are seething. Your years of work have been ignored by the cabinet secretary and you are quietly seething.